South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

When dusting, don’t forget these five places

When the mop is stowed, the dust rags are in the laundry and the feeling of cleaning triumph has subsided, you spot it: the collection of dust in the always-forgotten corner.

To ensure a completely clean home, arm yourself with the right tools and take a second look at these five most-overlooked hiding places for dust:

• Bathroom fan — Best known for reducing problems caused by excess moisture and relieving foggy mirrors after a hot shower, the bathroom exhaust fan also requires deep cleaning at least once a month.

Simply unscrew the vent’s cover, wipe away buildup and reach tiny crevices with a cotton swab dipped in a mild solution of vinegar and water.

• Vents — The most neglected spots are the ones that blend right into a home, such as air ducts and vents. Don’t fall victim to air contaminants floating from room to room — clean these traps for dust, debris and mold at least every two months.

Although cleaning inside the air ducts is a job best left to the professionals, you can keep your vents spotless with a swipe of the vacuum dusting brush around and on top of it every time you clean and, if possible, remove the vent and vacuum its underside every other month. This allows for cleaner air and more efficient heating and cooling systems.

• Shoe closets — Vacuuming open areas in the home is easy, but how often do you remember to move things instead of vacuum around them?

To find out what is lurking under that beautiful, last-season pair of boots, move everything out from the floor of closets at least once a month to tackle tiny crevices and corners where dust hides. Keep floors, as well as the patent leather pumps that show every speck of dust, odor-free by using a vacuum with an anti-odor HEPA filtration system to absorb odors and place a box of baking soda in closets for an extra boost of freshness.

• Ceiling fans — Not only will dirty ceiling fan blades wreak havoc on all that’s below, but they also can cause the fan to shake and wobble. To keep your breeze smooth and clean, regularly wipe down blades with an all-purpose cleaner and a fresh paper towel.

• Window frames — Created to frame a gorgeous view, the area above windows often goes unnoticed while cleaning.

To wipe out dust above windows and valances, choose cleaning tools such as a new vacuum that has a unique design that ex-tends to clean hard-to-reach areas.

This bagless upright vacuum features an innovative handle that quickly releases a telescoping wand system reaching up to 14 feet to make cleaning the tops of windows, bookshelves and stairs effortless.

The vacuum automatically switches airflow to provide maximum cleaning power to the wand.

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